1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the construction of a heat storage device using a combination of a large number of heat storage vessels, each storing therein a heat storage material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As disclosed, for example, in European Patent Application No. 0041386, a conventional heat storage device stores a sensible heat type heat storage material such as water or a latent heat type heat storage material such as polyethylene glycol or calcium chloride hexahydrate in each heat storage vessel made of plastic or metal. Usually, an aggregate of a large number of such heat storage vessels placed on supports is used as the heat storage device. A fluid such as air is caused to flow around each vessel in such a fashion that heat is applied from the fluid to the heat storage material through the outer surface of the vessel, or heat is taken in by the fluid from the heat storage material. Therefore, the heat storage vessels are arranged in such a manner as to define gaps between them through which the fluid flows. In order to make the heat storage device as a whole compact and to enlarge the heat storage capacity, the size of this gap is preferably as small as possible to such an extent that the fluid can flow therethrough.
In a conventional heat storage device, however, the gap cannot be reduced because the interference of the supports for the heat storage vessels. Moreover, the supports impede the flow of the fluid, increase draft resistance and heat resistance and partly inhibit the reduction of size of the heat storage device.